Packaged power sprayer



Jan. 13, 1953 J. H. MUELLER 2,625,431

' PACKAGED POWER sPRAYER I Filed 001.. 6, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 YINVENTOR, Q2/7172. Wei/e1:

Jan. 13, 1953 MUELLER 2,625,431

PACKAGED POWER SPRAYER Filed Oct. 6, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR,

.75/7/7 K/WZ/e/kl:

Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGED POWERSPRAYER John H. Mueller, Kansas City, Mo.

Application October .6, 194.7, fierial No. 778.1 53

2 C ai s- 1 This invention relates to new and useful improvements in aspraying apparatus, and has particular reference to sprays of thepressure type.

The principal purpose of the present invention is the provision of aspraying apparatus wherein a gas and a liquid such as an insecticide aredelivered independently under pressure to a nozzle, said gas acting uponsaid liquid at the tip of said nozzle to produce a finely divided oratomized spray.

Another object is the provision of .a spraying apparatus wherein a gasand a liquid are delivered independently under adjustable pressure to a.nozzle, .said nozzle being .adiustable to shut ofi the gas to allow saidliquid to be ejected in a :solid stream, or intermix said gas with saidliquid to produce a spray of any desired degree of atomization.

A further object is the provision, in a spraying apparatus of the,character described, of a nozzle adapted to be pivoted in a verticalplane to deliver a spray at various degrees of ele.va tion.

A still further object is the provision, in a spray apparatus of thecharacter described, of a nozzle adapted to be pivoted to deliver aspray at various degrees of elevation, and operable at the limits of itsoscillation to act as a valve for shutting ofi the gas and liquid spray.

Other objects are simplicity, compactness, and economy of construction,and efficiency and con.- venience of operation. With these objects, inview, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of thespecification, reference will be had to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal cross-section, with parts left inelevation, of a spray apparatus embodying the present invention, withthe nozzle shown in its operating range in solid lines and at itsshut-oil positions in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the spray apparatus with thecover removed, andwith the handle par: tially broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line III-III of Fig.2, with parts left in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line of Fig. 2. v

Fig. -5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line v-.-v of Fi .2,w n t no zl s uc= ture.

Fig. .6 is a sectional View taken on line VI-.-.-VI of Fi 5.

Fig. 7 is a .reduced fragmentary section taken on line VIIVII of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a verticalsection .takenon line VIII-.- VIIIof Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectiontaken on line IXflX of Fig. 8,.

Fi 10 is a reduced external side elevation of the spray apparatus.

Fig. 11 is an external front elevation of the spray apparatus.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and the numeral l2 applies to a hollow body member constructed ofsheet metal or other suitable material. Said body member issubstantially elliptical in horizontal cross-section, has asubstantially planar top l4 and bottom [6, and is supported by aplurality of leg m mbers 18 i i fixed to itom {6. said body member isformed adjacent its rearward end to present a tube 2,!) extending vetically t e thn u h and p n a bot nds. aid tube is adap d t carry a tt21 of comp essed gas such a ai or ca b n i x e. and the remainder ofsaid body member serves a a tank fo c ntainin a sp a l quid 24 u h asinsecticide or the like.

Bottle 22 e tends substant ally a e t e op of body mem e 12, nd is e uipd a it u p r end with a shutoff va v 2. ma ual y ope a by me ns of handwhee 2. Sai va is inter? connected by means of ,union 3!] with verticaltubular standard 3; adjacent the upper end thereof. .Said standard isfixed ,at its lower end to top Id of body member I2 by means of a screw34 immediately forward from tube 26, and supports the weight of gasbottle '22. Said standard is interconnected adjacent its lower end, w tha forward ex endi horizontal p p 36 by means of union 3B, and said pipe,is connected at its forward end with a pressure reducing valve 40. Saidvalve is carried partially in a depressed well 42 formed therefor in.top. Id of body member 12, and is rigidly secured to said top by means.of mounting brackets 44 welded or other- Wis fixed to said op- A tu u aem e is is screwed into the outlet of said valve and extends outwardlythrough one of said mounting brackets, as shown in Fig. 3. A tube 48 isinter.- connected at one end with tube 4.6, and extends at its oppositeend through top H! at Fill to admit the reduced gas pressure over thespray liquid 24 contained in the tank. A tube 52 is interconnected atone end with tube 46, and at its opposite end with the nozzle assemblyhereinafter described.

The nozzle assembly is carried on a bolt 54 extending between andcarried by apair of upright brackets 56 welded or otherwise rigidlysecured to top l4 adjacent the forward end thereof. A non-rotating disc58 and a rotating disc 6B are carried axially on bolt 54 and spacedapart by a sealing disc 62 of fiber or other suitable material, saidsealing disc being fixed to rotating disc 60 and rendered rotatabletherewith by means of positioning pins '64. Discs 58, 60 and 3 62 areurged snugly together by the tension of bolt 54.

Non-rotating disc 58 is formed to present two segmental annular recesses66 and 68 in its surface adjacent sealing disc 58 said recesses beingconcentric with bolt 54 and disposed at diametrically opposite sides ofsaid bolt. Tube 52 is rigidly fixed to the edge of disc 58 andinterconnected with recess 66 by means of a hole I drilled radially inthe edge of said disc. A tube I2, rigidly fixed to disc 58 andinterconnected with recess 66 by means of a hole I4 drilled radiallyfrom the edge of said disc, extends downwardly through top I4 of bodymember I2 and to a point adjacent bottom I6, where it is fitted with astrainer I6. Tubes 52 and I2 have sufilcient rigidity to prevent therotation of disc 58 on bolt 54.

Sealing disc 62 has a pair of circular holes I8 formed therethroughparallel with bolt 54 and disposed on diametrically opposite sides ofsaid bolt, in such a manner as to be aligned with recesses 66 and 68during a portion of the rotation of disc 60. Holes I8 coincide with apair of matching recesses 80 and 82 formed in the adjacent surface ofdisc 60. Holes 84 and 86 formed in said disc are interconnectedrespectively with recesses 80 and 82, and emerge at the peripheral edgeof said disc in close juxtaposition.

The nozzle 88, best shown in Fig- 5, includes a tubular body member 96extending radially from disc 60 and communicating at its inward end withhole 84, and a tube 52 of substantially smaller diameter than theinternal diameter of body member 90 disposed axially within said bodymember and offset at its inner end to communicate with hole 82 in disc60. Body member 90 is externally threaded to receive sleeve tip 94having an orifice 96 formed axially at its tip. Tube 92 extendsoutwardly beyond the outer end of body member 90, said extended portionbeing provided with an externally threaded enlargement 98 which isengaged by internally threaded sleeve tip 94 to support tube 62 againstlateral movement. Enlargement 98 is slotted longitudinally at I00 topermit the passage of gas thereby. Tube 92 terminates adjacent the innerend of orifice 96, and is formed to present a corresponding axialorifice I02. Externally the tip of tube 92 is frusto-conical, and amatching frusto-conical recess I04 is provided internally in sleeve tip94. Thus, normally an annular conical passage I06 for the passage of gasis formed about the tip of tube 92. The area of this passage isadjustable by screwing sleeve .tip 94 inwardly or outwardly along bodymember 90. When said sleeve tip is screwed inwardly till the wall ofrecess I04 contact the tip of tube 92, passage I06 is closed and the gaspassing therethrough is shut 011". By screwing sleeve tip 94 outwardly,the amount of gas passing through pass-age I06 may be regulated closely.A locknut I08 and sealing washer IIO are carried on body member 90 atthe base of sleeve tip 94 to fix the adjustment of said sleeve tip andto prevent leakage of fluid.

The'tank portion of body member I2 may be refilled with insecticide orother spray liquid by means of a filling tube II2 extending through topI4 and provided at its upper end with a removable cap II 4 and a sealingwasher HE. A safety valve I I8 is provided for protection againstexcessive pressures in the tank. Said valve comprises essentially atubular body member I communicating at its lower end with the tankthrough top I4, a downwardly seating valve disc I22 carried in said bodymember and adapted to cooperate with valve seat I24 formed therein, anda compression spring I26 abutting at its lower end against valve discI22 to urge saiddisc to its closed position, and at its upper endagainst a cap I28 threadably engaged in body member I20. The tension ofsaid spring is adjustable by turning said cap. Whenever for any reasonthe tank pressure becomes sufiiciently high to force disc I22 off of itsseat against the pressure of spring I26, the gas will escape throughholes I30 in the walls of body member I20.

A carrying handle I32 comprising an angled bar member is rigidly securedat its lower end to a clevis I34 having its arms pivotally carried bybolt 54 adjacent the outer surfaces of brackets 56, and at its upper endto the upper end of standard 32 by means of screw I36. A cover I38 isadapted to fit snugly at its lower side around the upper edge of bodymember I2, and extends upwardly to cover most of the working parts. Saidcover is provided with a vertically disposed slot I40 at its forward endthrough which nozzle 88 projects and which permits oscillation of saidnozzle on bolt 54. Carrying handle I32 projects outwardly through a holeI42 in said cover adjacent its lower end and through a hole I44 in saidcover at its upper end. A hole I46 is provided for the stem of shut-offvalve 26. Said cover may be removed after first removing screw I36 andhand wheel 28 of valve 26.

The operation of the spray apparatus is substantially as follows. Whenvalve 26 is opened, gas passes under high pressure from bottle 22through standard 32 and pipe 36 to pressure reducing valve 40, saidvalve being adjustable to reduce the gas pressure to any desired level.Gas under reduced pressure then passes through tube 52, recess 66 indisc 58, recess and hole 84 in disc 60, through nozzle body member 90,through slots I00 in enlargement 98 of tube 92, and thence to orifice 96of sleeve tip 94. At the same time, gas under reduced pressure passesfrom reducing valve 40 through tube 48 to the tank containing sprayliquid 24. Said liquid is forced upwardly by said pressure throughstrainer I6, tube I2, recess 68 of disc 58, recess 82 and hole 86 ofdisc 60, and thence through tube 92 of nozzle 88 to orifice I02 at thetip thereof. At the tip of the nozzle gas passing at a high velocitythrough annular conical passageway I06 impinges on the stream of liquidpassing through orifice I02 to produce a finely divided or atomizedspray or mist, said spray passing outwardly into the air through orifice96 of sleeve tip 94. By adjusting sleeve tip 94 as previously describedto vary .the area of passage I66, the ratio of the pressure, volume, andvelocity of the gas relative to the spray liquid may be adjusted toproduce a spray of any desired degree of atomization. When passage I06is completely closed orifices I02 and. 96 form a continuous tube throughwhich spray liquid will be ejected in a solid stream. This type of sprayis particularly useful when it is desired to treat otherwiseinaccessible spaces with insecticide or the like.

It will be noted that when nozzle 88 is pivoted in a vertical planeabout bolt 54, recesses 80 and 02 of disc 60, and holes I8 of sealingdisc 52 are moved respectively over arcuate recesses 66 and 68 ofnon-rotating disc 58. As long as the holes I8 of sealing disc 62 remainwithin the limits of arcuate recesses 66 and 68, the gas and liquid willfiow as described, but when the nozzle is turned far enough so thatholes 18 pass outside the ends of said recesses, the gas and liquid flowis shut off. Thus, the oscillation of the nozzle operates as a valve.The nozzle is operative to deliver a spray at any point in a wide angleof elevation, but when it is pivoted to either extreme, as shown indotted lines in Fig. l, the flow of gas and liquid is shut off. Duringperiods of intermittent use, this means of control is simpler, quicker,and more convenient than the manipulation of hand wheel 28.

It is apparent that many minor changes of construction and operationcould be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and itis, therefore, desired to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a spray apparatus of the character described wherein a spray fluidis delivered under pressure to a nozzle assembly carried by a bodymember, a nozzle assembly comprising a member fixed to said body memberand a nozzle pivotally associated with said fixed member, said fixedmember and said nozzle having relatively slidable abutting surfaces atright angles to the pivotal axis of the nozzle, said fixed member having a recess formed therein inwardly from the abutting surface thereof,said recess being arcuately concentric with said pivotal axis and ofsubstantial length, the spray fluid being delivered to said recess, andsaid nozzle having a relatively restricted recess formed thereincommunicating with the recess of said fixed member, said nozzle recessbeing interconnected with the orifice of said nozzle. and said nozzlebeing pivotal through an are greater than the angular length of therecess in said fixed member.

2. In a spray apparatus of the character described wherein a liquid anda gas are delivered separately under regulated pressure to a nozzleassembly, a nozzle assembly comprising a mem- 4 her fixed to said bodymember and a nozzle pivotsaid fixed member, said nozzle recesses beinginterconnected with the outlet orifice of said nozzle, and said nozzlebeing pivotal through an are greater than the angular length of therecesses in said fixed member.

JOHN H. MUELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 515,552 Philips Feb. 27, 1894927,430 Rockwood July 6, 1909 1,310,733 Bore et al. July 22, 19 91,314,294 Wilkerson Aug. 26, 1919 1,738,421 Corley Dec. 3, 19291,740,471 McBride Dec. 24, 1929 1,989,696 Kelley Feb. 5, 1935 2,125,573Kelly, Jr Aug. 2, 1938 2,206,173 Ewing July 2, 1940 2,228,705 Olson Jan.14, 1941 2,248,308 Rice July 8, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date517,936 France Dec. 23, 1920

